Vito Spatafore
Vito Spatafore (1959-2006) was a capo of the DiMeo crime family. In 2006, he was whacked by the Lupertazzi crime family for being a closeted homosexual. Biography Vito Spatafore was born in Belleville, New Jersey in 1959 to a family of Italian descent. He was the brother of Bryan Spatafore, nephew of Richie Aprile, and a cousin to Jackie Aprile Jr. and Adrianna La Cerva, and he followed his family members into the DiMeo crime family. He was inducted into the Aprile crew upon Richie Aprile's release from prison, and he quickly rose to the rank of capo after the deaths of Aprile, Gigi Cestone, and Ralph Cifaretto. After his brother was put into a coma by Salvatore Intile, Spatafore convinced his boss Tony Soprano to have Intile murdered. In 2004, Spatafore was first discovered to be homosexual by the Finn De Trolio, the boyfriend of Tony Soprano's daughter Meadow, who saw him fellating a security guard at the Esplanade construction site in his car. One night, he was caught dancing provocatively at a gay club by Lupertazzi crime family associate Sal Iaccuzzo and one of his acquaintances, who were making collections from the club. Spatafore was petrified of the consequences that he could face for being outed, and he collected some money from his home before going into hiding in New Hampshire under the alias "Vince". He claimed to be writing a book on Italian boxers, took up an interest in antiques, and became an alcoholic. On one occasion, he crashed into a man's parked car, and when the man refused to take an up-front payment to pay for his car (insisting on a police report), Spatafore shot the man. Spatafore fell in love with short-order cook and volunteer fireman Jim Witowski, and Spatafore once pushed him away from a kiss and called him a "fag", as he had gotten used to hiding his homosexuality. Several days later, he went back to the restaurant and apologized, and the two rode their motorcycles to a secluded spot by the lake and had sex. Spatafore then moved in with Witowski, and Witowski saw through his story that he was a writer; Spatafore continued to lie by saying that he was a divorced construction worker. Witowski arranged for Spatafore to work as a handyman, but he tired of the tedium of a working life, became a worse alcoholic, and left Witowski's house early one morning without saying goodbye. Spatafore returned to New Jersey, where he met Soprano at a mall guarded by his brother Bryan. Spatafore claimed that his homosexual behavior had been caused by medication, and he offered Soprano $200,000 if he could run the family's Atlantic City prostitution and drug businesses. Soprano was tempted by the offer, but the virulently homophobic Lupertazzi boss Phil Leotardo demanded Spatafore's death to avenge the "disgrace" that he dealt to the Mafia, which was a very traditionalistic organization. Death Soprano quietly arranged for Carlo Gervasi to whack Spatafore, but this would prove unnecessary. When Spatafore returned to his motel room that night, he was ambushed by Lupertazzi mobsters Dominic Gamiello and Gerry Torciano, who duct-taped his mouth shut before Leotardo came out of a closet and sat on Spatafore's bed, showing himself to a terrified and groaning Spatafore. Leotardo told Spatafore that he was a disgrace, and he had Gamiello and Torciano beat him to death. He was later found with a pool cue in his anus, a message that he was killed because of his homosexuality. Category:1959 births Category:2006 deaths Category:DiMeo crime family Category:Americans Category:Italian-Americans Category:Catholics Category:Criminals Category:Killed Category:LGBT people Category:Mafiosi Category:Republican Party members Category:New Jersey Republicans Category:American conservatives Category:Conservatives Category:People from Belleville Category:People from New Jersey Category:1966 births